Missing but not Gone
by LittleGreenOne
Summary: In the sequel to Beaten but not Broken, Steph and Ranger must use their instincts to survive their newest challenge, so that they can live a normal live, if that is even possible.
1. Ch 1 Darkness Falls

**Thank you to all that supported my first fic, it meant a lot to me. **

**In speaking of my first fic, **_**Beaten but not Broken,**_** if you haven't read it, don't read this one. This is the sequel. **

**Oh, and one little side note, this story will be written from third person point of view. Sorry **

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, well maybe the bad guys, but that's it. I swear.**

**Now on with the tale.**

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**Missing but not Gone **

**Chapter one**

**Darkness Falls**

** Stephanie watched her captures as they moved around the room, hoping one of them would make a mistake and give her the chance she needed to escape. Then men around her were rugged and in desperate need of a shower. Their idea of personal hygiene wasn't up to the normal standards and it was all Stephanie could not to throw up. She made mental notes about each of them, committing them to memory just in case she needed the information later. She looked around at the room they were holding her in and realized that it wasn't a room really, more like a shed. It was big enough to hole at least twenty people in it and had one mattress in the corner, which she was currently occupying, and a love seat in the middle of the of the space, which sat in front of a small TV. The furniture looked like it had seen better days and Steph really didn't want to think about all of those possibilities. **

** A low rumble in the pit of her stomach reminded Steph that she hadn't eaten and that she really needed to. The baby in her womb was growing and she needed to take care of it, no matter the circumstances. **

** "Who's in charge?" She asked, which made every man in the room turn their eyes to her. They stared at her blankly and she wondered if any of them spoke English. "Any of you speak English?" She asked, hoping. **

**A young man stood and nodded. **

** "My name is Jesus." He said with a crooked grin. He looked like he wasn't any older than nineteen with his shaggy brown hair and deep chocolate eyes. His skin was tan and he appeared to be well built under his tee shirt and jeans. **

** "Hi," She responded simply. "I need to talk to the man in charge, please." I said, raising to my feet, which made every man in the building jump up and tense. **

**Jesus said something in Spanish and they relaxed. He nodded to one of the others, who went to the door. Moments later, the door opened and Viper entered the structure looking rather annoyed. **

** "You needed to speak with me?" He asked as he stood before her. **

** "Yes, I need to eat something, please." Steph told him with as much dignity as she could. "I'm pregnant and need to take care of my child." She pleaded. **

**Viper's eyes widened and he eyed her belly, trying to decide whether or not to believe her. **

** "Ranger's?" He asked, narrowing his eyes. **

**There was a moment where I was tempted to tell him yes, but I couldn't do that. I shook my head at him and opened my mouth to answer.**

** "It's mine." A very dark and familiar voice answered before I could. My spine stiffened and the blood in my veins ran ice cold at the realization of whom it was. **

** Joseph Morelli walked into the shed, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. He was dressed in a black tee shirt and low cut jeans, and if I hadn't been scared shitless, I would've thought he looked good. His eyes were bloodshot and resembled a prisoner of Arkham Asylum, making me realize just how far gone he was.**

** "Joe…" Was all I could say at the sight of the man before me. **

**Joe stepped towards me, like a big cat on a hunt, and cornered me against the wall. **

** "Is that all you can say to me?" He snarled in my ear. "After all we have been through together." His hand snaked around my throat and squeezed, cutting off my oxygen supply. "Come on, Cupcake you must have something to say." His grip tightened and little black dots edged across my vision. **

** "Let….me…go…" I tried to gasp, but it came out as a gurgle. **

**In response, Joe threw me the feet that separated me from the floor, effectively re-dislocating my shoulder. I cried out as the burning pain spread through my upper body. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a boot fly towards my stomach and I wrapped my arms around my middle, protecting the infant that grew there. But I was too late, his foot connected with my stomach with tremendous force, causing me to curl up from the pain. I heard something pop and felt something snap. **

**Again and again he kicked and hit me, doubling the damage he had caused the first time, and after what felt like an eternity, my eyes grew heavy and my body grew numb. The darkness began to close in and I let it take me away willingly. **

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** Ranger stepped out of the car and made his way to the building that housed the General. Without a word the armed guards, he walked into the building and navigated the tunnels that made the base a maze. After just a few minutes, he found himself in front of a large door and turned the knob. **

** The room he entered was full of men dressed in their class A's that were huddled around a round table, which sat in the middle of the room. He cleared his throat and waited for the General to approach him. **

** "Ah, men, allow me to introduce my best field agent, Ranger." The General greeted, turning everyone's attention to Ranger, who nodded but said nothing. **

**The General excused himself from the mass of men and shook Ranger's hand, and then led him to a private room on the other end of the room. **

** "I'm glad you came." He said as they got as comfortable as they could. Ranger nodded his head but remained silent, not trusting what might come out of his mouth. "Would you like to be briefed now, or after you get some rest?"**

** "Now."**

** "Okay, I have set up a meeting between you and a man by the name of Topher. He is one of my undercover already in the syndicate here in Cuba." The General started to explain. "He has set up an alias for you and will introduce you to the major players in the game. What I want you to do is find the man responsible for smuggling the drugs onto the base, where they are shipped to the US." He finished, as he took out a thin folder and opened it. Inside the folder was a picture of a man in his thirties with tan skin and dark eyes. "We believe it's this man. He goes by the name Viper. From what we can gather on the streets, he is the boss." The General informed his agent with a serious tone, one that told Ranger just how serious the mission was. **

** "General, I have one request." Ranger said once his superior was done talking. The General nodded his head, indicating that he continue. "Well, I know that you trust you inside man, but I have never met him. I need to have someone I can trust with my life. Someone I know will back me up unconditionally." Ranger explained, hoping that the man before him understood. **

**The minutes felt like hours before Ranger caught his answer, which was a slight nod. **

** "One man."**

** "That's all I'll need, thank you Sir." Ranger stood and saluted the General. After a short pause, the General returned the gesture and the two men left the room. Ranger made his way out while the General returned to the table. **

** Once outside, Ranger pulled out the satellite phone he'd used earlier and dialed Tank's number. **

** "Yo." He greeted.**

** "Pack up, you're going to be assisting me here." Ranger snapped into the phone.**

** "What about finding Steph?" Tank asked, his voice almost hesitant. **

** "Have Bobby and Lester take over the search. I want them to track Morelli's movements over the past few months." Ranger informed. "I have a feeling I know who took her." **

**A moment later, Ranger heard what sounded like a door fly off its hinges and loud voices overwhelm the line. **

** "Hold on, Ranger, I think Bobby found something. He and Lester just stormed my office like the soldiers at Normandy." Tank sighed and Ranger heard excited muffles and a loud thud. **

** "Tank, report." He almost shouted into the phone. **

**There was a low growl and then the line went silent. "Tank!" Ranger yelled into the phone. "Hello? Somebody better answer me!" He shouted. As soon as the words exited his mouth, the sound of someone coughing filled his ear. "Tank, explain." **

** "Sorry, Ranger. I dropped the phone and it went on mute." Tank answered. **

** "Why?" **

** "Lester and Bobby found the guy that took Steph." Tank answered, his voice lowering dangerously. "He was the new employee you hired right before you left."**

**Ranger let the words sink in and tried to calm his breathing, but failed miserably. His fist connected with the nearest building, which was made of concrete. He barley noticed the pain that shot up his arm, or the blood that was running down his wrist. All he could think about was the man that had earned his trust and then betrayed it by stealing the most important person to him. Mercy no longer existed in his vocabulary. **

"**Ranger?" Tank's voice breached the surface of his anger, snapping Ranger out of his near trace. **

"**Find him. And bring him here, I want to talk to him." He ordered, his tone deadly.**

"**Ranger, he is already in Cuba. He boarded a plane late this morning and left." Tank explained, but Ranger sensed there was something Tank wasn't telling him. **

"**What else?" **

"**His ticket was paid for by one Joseph Morelli." **

**Ranger's body began to tremble with rage and he no longer tried to keep it hidden. He took off at a run towards the soldier's barracks, intent on ripping the gym apart. He knew the identity of the person responsible and that was all he needed. **

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Here it is, the long awaited First chapter of the sequel! I hope you enjoyed it. Read and Review! Let me know how I did! I won't be able to get the next chapter up til next week, I have to be in Muskogee this weekend. Yay for me!  
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	2. Ch 2 Tracking the Enemy

**Thank you for all the awesome reviews and comments; they were very helpful. **

**Disclaimer: Once again, I don't own these characters; I just put them through hell and watch as they come out with minimal injuries.**

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Chapter Two**

**Tracking the Enemy**

** Ranger punched the gym bag with all the force his arm could muster, which was quite a bit, and let his mind wander onto the subject of torture. He knew what he wanted to do to Morelli, but he knew that he wasn't the only one that wanted to take a crack at the corrupt cop. He swung his arm and connected once again with the bag. **

** The doors to the make shift gym opened and one of the soldiers stepped inside the room, looking like he'd rather be anywhere but there. **

** "Sir, the men you called for are here." He informed Ranger, his voice careful. "They are waiting for you in the conference room." He added, and saluted his superior. **

**Ranger saluted the young man and exited the room, making his way to the conference room with ease. **

**Thoughts ran through his head as he walked through the corridors of the base. He tried to hope that he would find Steph alive, but knew the chances of that were slim. As much as he wanted to find her alive, he wanted the excuse to kill all the men that had helped Morelli pull this off. The rage that thought brought alone was enough to keep him going when exhaustion tried to claim him in the night. **

** The sound of hushed voices dragged him into the present as he opened the door to see Lester, Bobby, and Tank sitting around the table talking about something. **

** "I hope we find them soon, Bomber's condition will get worse the longer it takes." Bobby mentioned, eying their surroundings. **

** "We'll find her, bring her home and tare the men that took her limb from pathetic limb." Lester promised, his voice void of all emotion. **

** "No, you'll take Steph home and I'll tare the men that took her limb from limb." Ranger corrected as he entered the room. The three men stood and saluted their superior. **

** "Ranger you can't think that we're just going to let you have all the fun with those psychopaths?" Bobby gasped. **

**Ranger thought about the statement and gazed into the eyes of all the men before him. He knew that they would follow him to hell and back if he asked, but he needed them to take of Stephanie when he was gone. **

** "If I were to let you assist me, and something were to happen to any of you, who would take care of Steph?" He asked them, looking into each of their eyes. "I need all of you to be there for her, not just one or two of you, if something were to happen to me." He added. **

**The silence in the room was heavy with unsaid arguments, the tension so thick it was difficult for the men to breathe.**

** "Well, now that that's out of the way," Lester sighed, breaking the tension and silence. "Is this going to be the kind of situation where I'm going to get shot at?" He asked sarcastically, grinning.**

** "No, this is the kind of situation where one of us is going to accidently shoot you in the ass." Bobby responded with a smile. I rolled my eyes and took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for the task ahead. **

** "Alright, now that we have covered the basics, let's get down to business." He told his men, who immediately stopped talking and listened attentively. "Lester, Tank informed me that you know who took Steph. I want his name and current whereabouts."**

** "His name is Alex James." He answered calmly. "He was hired a few months ago by Rangeman for surveillance and capture." He continued. "Age, twenty-seven; height, six foot three; appearance, brown hair and green eyes. He was last seen at the Trenton airport, boarding a red eye to Cuba. Whereabouts in Cuba are unknown." **

** "Can you get a hold of some your underground contacts and have them start asking about our Mr. James." Ranger nodded at Lester. He turned to Bobby. "Bobby, I need access to Steph's medical record. I need to know how long we have until she looses the baby, and that's thinking optimistically." He told him. "And I know you have some contacts here, get in touch with them, I want to know the layout of the nearest villages and forests, any hide outs as well." He added. **

** "Ranger, the likely hood of Steph keeping the baby is near impossible, unless they have her in a penthouse suit. Her blood pressure was elevated to start out with and I doubt it's gone down within the past twenty- four hours. The chances of her own survival are slim as well." Bobby replied, his voice grim. "I get in touch with a few of the locals and get some general ideas of where they might hide her." He added.**

** "Good. Tank you're going to be with me. There are things here that need to be taken care of and I want you to help me." Ranger informed his second in command, who merely nodded in understanding. **

** "Good, let's this thing started. I want Steph home by the end of the week." He said, knowing that the desire was very unrealistic. **

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** Steph heard an earsplitting scream and tried not to think about whom it was coming from. Her ribs were on fire with pain and she felt as though her lungs were going to explode. She curled into herself tighter but it didn't stop the kicking and punching that was raining down on her body. She curled her arms around her middle and prayed that her child was unaffected by the beating. She knew in her heart that it was unlikely but still prayed. **

** "How does it feel?" Joe snarled in her ear, grabbing her neck and squeezing tightly. "Just don't forget, you deserve this. All of this, because you chose him. **

**Stephanie tried to fight back but found that her arms were too weak to move. Joe's grip on her neck tightened and little black dots invaded her vision. Knowing that she was merely moments away from passing out, Steph used up the last ounce of her strength to kick out at her ex-husband. Her toes connected with the most sensitive area of Joe's body, effectively loosening his grip on her neck.**

** "Fucking bitch!" He spat as he fell to his knees. **

**Steph took a few painful breaths and fell to the floor, succumbing to the darkness.**

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**I apologize for the delay in updating, my muse left me high and dry for awhile. But hopefully it will be back soon. Thanks for being patient!!! Read and push the little green button at the bottom of your screen. Thank you bunches!**


	3. Ch 3 Bloody Tradegy

**Thanks once again to all those who reviewed the last chapter, I know it was crappy and I do apologize greatly. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters I just play with them.**

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**Chapter Three **

**Bloody Tragedy**

** Pain. **

**That was all she felt once she gained consciousness. Her ribcage felt as though it was on fire, and her abdomen felt as if someone had taken a red-hot poker to it. She bit down on her lip to keep from screaming out in agony, but a muffled moan still brushed past her mouth. She tried to move slowly, so as not to aggravate the injuries more, but failed miserably. A warm liquid stained her jeans and she felt her heart sink. **

_**'No…No…'**_** Her mind pleaded but she knew it was in vain. **

**The baby was gone. **

**Steph tried to keep from losing control at the thought, but tears ran down her cheeks anyway. Her head fell into her hands as she wept silently, so as not to draw attention to herself. She let the tears flow for what seemed like hours, and might have been, before she finally stopped. Her head hurt, as well as everything else, and she closed her eyes, to block out her surroundings. **

** "That isn't what I agreed on!" Voices drifted into the room from the outside and she tried to ignore them, but even in a situation like this her curiosity got the better of her. She turned her head in the direction of the voices and listened. **

** "I don't care, when you signed on, it was to do whatever I had planned." The voice belonged to Viper. "And this is what I have planned. If you don't like then you can leave." He sneered, his voice threatening. **

** "Oh, yeah like I'm going to leave when it was me who supplied you with all of the drugs you and your men needed." Steph finally realized whom that voice belonged to. Joe Morelli. The two men were battling for dominance in the situation. **

** "Then I guess I'll have to make you leave." Viper answered, and Steph felt her stomach drop. There was a loud thud and the sound of flesh hitting flesh. "I'll see you in hell, Morelli." Viper spoke softly, before there was aloud gunshot. **

** A high pitch screaming filled the building and it was a moment before Steph realized that it was her screaming. Moments later she was gagged and bound by rough rope and held in a hog tie, which caused the pain in her stomach to intensify by a hundred. She felt her stomach come up her throat and threaten to escape her mouth, but couldn't because of the makeshift gag. **

** As much as she hated to admit it, Steph was saddened by the death of her husband. He might have become an ass in the recent months, but he hadn't always been that way. Tears filled her eyes, whether from sorrow or pain she didn't know, or care. Her head began to pound and bright lights danced in front of her eyes. **

**The door opened and Viper walked into her prison, his chest was covered in a dark red liquid, making Steph cringe in disgust. Viper came to a stop in front of his prisoner and kneeled down to look her in the eye. **

** "Your former husband is no longer among the living." He whispered softly, an evil grin on his lips. "He refused to see things my way. If you do the same, you will join him sooner than you wish." He added menacingly, removing the gag from her mouth. "Will you make a better choice?" **

**Steph had half a mind to tell him to kiss her ass, and opened her mouth to say just that, but stopped when Ranger's face filled her mind. She saw his face just as clearly as if he were there in front of her, and her heart began to pound at the thought of never seeing him again. Never see him smile, or hear him laugh, or feel his lips on hers one last time. She knew what he would do if she gave up on him now, he would be heartbroken and disappointed in her. That wasn't something she could rest in peace knowing she had done. She had to live, no matter what was asked of her. **

** "Yes," She answered calmly. "What do you need me to do?" **

**Her response was met by grins and whoops of exclamation. Viper raised his hand to silence his men, most of who had entered the building, and pulled out a knife. Steph grimaced at the sight of the weapon and tried not to think about what he could do with it. Slowly, as if wanting to torture her, Viper inched the blade forward and cut the rope binding her. Steph felt her eyes widen at the action and remained silent as her captor help her get to her very unsteady feet. His eyes roamed over her in what could only be described as a predator sizing up his prey, which did nothing to help her already shot nerves. **

** "I'm going to need you to run." He whispered softly in her ear, moving aside to let her pass. When she hesitated, not sure what to make of the request, he fired his gun into the air, forcing her to move forward. **

** Steph's abdomen protested against the new movement, which was causing her more pain by the second. Still, she kept running, only turning when the sound of a gunshot rang in her ears, she knew what they were doing but she didn't care, all she wanted was to get out of her personal hell. **

****** **

** Sleep continued to elude him. He had tossed and turned, until he finally removed himself from the bed and made his way to the gym. Something was wrong, very wrong, he could feel it in his gut, but had no real proof. **

** The door to the gym was unlocked and Ranger let himself in, knowing that he would be alone for at least two hours. Wrapping his knuckles in adhesive tape, Ranger tried not to think of what might be happening to the woman he loved more than he was ready to admit out loud. It made his blood boil when his thoughts traveled down the dark road that had become his existence without Steph. **

**Thud.**

**His fist connected with the tough punching bag and he felt some of the tension leave his body. **

**Thud.**

**He continued to treat the bag with the same courtesy he would use towards an enemy for countless minutes, and it was only when he heard the sound of gunshots firing near the base, did he stop. **

_** "What the hell?"**_** He asked himself, leaving the gym. He encountered a hoard of soldiers when he exited the building and immediately began following his own instincts. He ran for the barracks his men were housed in and barged in, only to find them already getting ready for battle. He nodded his approval and accepted the weapons they offered him. He swiftly strapped the guns into place, along with a large boot knife. **

**Once the team was ready to go, which took all of about thirty seconds, they left their building and joined the other men in arms. **

** There were shots coming from every direction, but none seemed to be hitting the men at the base, which made Ranger all the more uneasy. They located the General quickly and asked what was happening. **

** "We are being attacked from all sides by the rebellion, although it seems that their aim is off tonight." He explained, firing his gun in the direction of the most recent shots. **

** "This doesn't feel right." Tank muttered, earning agreeing nods from Bobby and Lester. Ranger knew in his gut that something was different. This wasn't just some random act of rebellion, this was meant for something else entirely. He just needed to know what. **

** "Bobby, Tank, Lester, you guys with me." He ordered, moving away from the General. "Do not shoot until I tell you to. Understood?" The men nodded and followed him into the tree line. He stopped, crouched out of view, and listened to the direction of the shots. **

** "Something's off." Lester whispered. "The gunfire is coming from three sides and seems to be up in the air." He explained. **

** "What do you mean?" Bobby asked, looking over at his friend. **

** "They're herding something." Lester answered with finality. **

** "Or someone." Tank suggested, looking down his scope, seemingly following the movements of the rebels. **

**Ranger felt something in his mind snap and he stood, running back to the General without saying anything to his men. **

** "General, tell the men to cease fire!" He shouted to his superior. **

** "What? Why?" **

** "Just do it!" Ranger yelled angrily.**

** "Cease fire!" The General shouted out to the men. "Cease fire!" **

**The shots from Ranger's side of the tree line stopped, and only the shots from the rebels still rang out in the night. Ranger listened harder, to the sound of the men near him, to the shouts of the men in the forest, and to the sound of anguished cries running through the rain of gunfire. **

** "Stephanie!" He screamed, knowing that it was her cries that the men were hearing. He took off at a dead run towards the sound, with no care as to his own safety. He heard his men calling out his name, but he stopped listening. "Steph! Answer me!" He called out, hoping that she was able to respond. **

** "Ranger!" A scream pierced the night air and he ran towards, knowing full well that there might be a trap at the end of his run. **

**A clearing was just a few feet away and when he ran into it, he saw Stephanie running through the grass towards him. She was covered from head to toe in dirt and what looked like blood. Her lips were split open and bleeding, from what he could see in the darkness, and he noticed that her hand kept gripping her ribcage. **

**He released the breath he was holding when he was just feet from her, not seeing the sniper fifty yards behind her, nor paying enough attention to the closeness of a drop-off into a gully. **

** The gunshot pierced the silence of the night, ending the relief Ranger felt in the time it took to penetrate the skin. Numbness spread and two bodies fell into the gully, one unconscious and bleeding while the other yelled out a name. **

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**I am soooooo sorry for the time I've taken to update. Actually, it's a pretty funny story. My muse returned, a little worse for ware, and no sooner had it returned, did we get into an artistic argument and deemed it better to leave each other alone for awhile. But we have made up and are working on the next chapter together. Thank you so much for being patient with me!! Now review please and let me know how I did. **


	4. Author's Note

Author's Note

I am so sorry for having left this story hanging, I really didn't want to do so. Unfortunantly life seems to be kicking me in the ass right now. There are plans to continue it I assure all of the amazing followers of my story. I will try to have the next chapter up within a week or so, but cannot promise anything. Thank you so much for supporting me in this endeavor. It means a lot to me.


	5. Ch 4 Over the Edge

**Okay peeps, here's the long awaited next chapter to the story, I again apologize for taking so long to update. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the wonderful characters we all love and adore. The bad guys, however, I do own. Sorry. **

**Chapter Four**

**Over the Edge**

**Stephanie **

**Darkness was all she could see, her eyes attempted to focus on something other than the blackness that surrounded her but failed miserably. '**_**This is not good, come on, Steph, wake up.' **_**She willed herself to wake but it was useless. Something beyond her reach kept her in dreamland. '**_**I wonder if I'm dead' **_**She thought to herself, and just as the words whispered in her mind, a fiery pain shot up through her ribs and chest to her shoulder. '**_**Okay, never mind.'**_** If she were really dead she wouldn't feel that pain, this much she knew. Slowly, she attempted to open her eyes, but failed. Again. **

**Using her other senses, Steph paid attention to the noise around, trying to distinguish something audible. Voices surrounded her, urgent voices calling to her through the mist that now clouded her mind. Where was she? Who was calling her? What happened? The questions flew through her head before she could stop them, and she felt her mind begin to slip into the dark abyss of sleep.**

**Ranger**

**Pain was coursing through his body as he began to regain awareness. His mind working at ninety miles an hour, calculating the events he could remember. Opening his eyes slightly, he saw the blurry faces of his men and the men the General had sent to his aid, all of them sliding their gazes over him, checking for wounds. **

**There was something missing….he knew in the back of his mind there was something missing. It was just out of his reach, just beyond his grasp and he tried to grab it but failed. **

"**Mr. Manoso? Can you answer me?" Asked a voice to his right. It was speaking urgently in his ear and he tried to focus, but couldn't. "Ranger? You're losing a lot of blood; I need you to remain conscious. Do you understand? Blink for yes." The voice instructed him. He knew that voice, it was so familiar to him. Bobby? It had to be. And if Bobby was there, then Lester and Tank had to be nearby. **

"**Stephanie?" His voice was cracked, but he was able to whisper the words. He felt rather then saw his men react to the words he said as they stiffened and move away from him, going to look through the foliage for her. His vision began to blur as his heart stuttered from the stress it was under and he knew that soon he would go under, but refused to do when Steph's whereabouts were unknown. **

"**Bossman, she's not here." He heard Lester's voice inform him from nearby. **

**Okay, now I know it's way shorter than I usually write, but it was all my muse could put forth right now. I am sooooo sorry for taking so long, thank you to all the loyal readers who kept up with me while I took the time I needed to come up with this next chapter. **


	6. Ch 5 Lost

**Thanks to all you amazing and loyal readers for welcoming me back with open arms! It means so much to me! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this piece of entertainment, I just use them as such….hehehe Ranger….**

**Chapter 5 **

**Lost**

**Stephanie **

**Pain lacing up her legs and through her stomach reminded her that she was alive and well- maybe not well, but alive none the less. Taking deep breathes to focus her senses on the things around her; Stephanie heard the sounds of the jungle that surrounded her. The sounds of the birds and insects chirping filled her ears, as well as some of the larger animals. In the distance, she heard the sound of running water, which meant that there had to be a river or stream nearby. Forcing her eyes open, Steph looked around, trying to remember what had happened. **

**Running through the forest, yelling out to….Ranger! Where was he? Was he okay? As these thoughts flew through her mind, she realized that she didn't know where she was and that of his whereabouts. Sitting up quicker than she should have, Steph tried to gain her bearings and find a familiar land mark. It was that moment exactly that her injuries decided to make themselves known in the form of mind numbing pain in her ribs, chest, stomach, and one of her legs. Letting out a blood-curdling scream, she was sent back to the jungle floor in agony. Tears pooled in her eyes and she let them fall without stopping them. **

"**Ranger…" She whimpered helplessly as pain once again laced through her already beaten body. She had to find a way to where he was, or she knew her life would be short lived. Ignoring the pain in her side and middle, Steph began to crawl towards the running water she'd heard earlier. Moving in her condition was more than most would be able to accomplish, but Steph was determined to make it to the river or stream. She had to; there was no other choice but to make it. She had someone waiting for her and Stephanie knew how disappointed they would be if they ever found out she gave up on living. So with clenched teeth, Stephanie the "Bombshell Bounty Hunter" slowly but surely made her way towards her destination. **

**Lester **

**He watched as his friend, cousin, boss, and fellow soldier was air lifted to the nearest hospital; which to be honest wasn't that great to begin with. He stood with Tank as the helicopter flew off into the distance. Bobby had decided to accompany the aircraft to its destination and had climbed into the back with Ranger. All three of them knew that he was in bad shape. The bullet had all but missed his heart, but it tore up his right lung, causing it to collapse. Bobby had the most training to handle the situation so he had been the one directing the other field medics as they had attempted to revive Ranger from death's edge, but soon it became apparent that he was in need of more than just a band aid and ace bandage. Lester closed his eyes, allowing his inner eye to replay the moment they had seen Ranger and Steph fall over the cliff and into the gulley. Ranger had just grabbed Bomber when the shot rang out in a very triumphant pop, sending the bullet into Ranger's chest. Moments later, the two of them fell over the edge. Lester, Tank and Bobby didn't hesitate in making a run for the ledge. But the moment they got there, all they could see was Ranger sprawled out in an awkward position. **

**They watched as the copter left their sight, and then began looking through the gulley once more in a last chance effort to find Stephanie. Lester was terrified that the enemy had found her and taken her once again, but tried not to think about it too closely. He knew that if that were to happen, they would lose her for good this time. And if that were to happen, he knew that telling Ranger would be the last thing he ever did. Determined, he made his way in the direction of running water, he's heard it when they had dove into the gulley. He knew that if Stephanie was alive, she'd move to the nearest water source. He smile grimly at the thought, '**_**Come on Beautiful, if you don't make it, who's going to put Ranger back in his place?" **_**He thought, praying that she was alive. **

"**Lester!" He heard Tank shout at him from a distance, turning to look at his comrade, something under the brush caught his eye and he moved towards it, his heart pounding in his chest. "Yeah?" He called back, a little distracted. As he neared the object that had gained his interest, he saw a mass of curly brown hair that blended in with the jungle floor. **_**'Let it be her….please God let it be her.'**_** He chanted in his head over and over. **

"**Lester? Man, what are you doing?" Tank asked, coming closer and seeing the look on Lester's face, he added, "Find something?" **

"**Tank, call the base, tell them to send a tank and medic to my location." Lester answered as he knelt down to gently flip the unconscious person on their back. He looked up and smiled at Tank, his eyes full of relief. "I've found her." **

**OMG! Thank you to all those who reviewed and let me know how I did and all that jazz! I really have missed reading those, they just seem to brighten up my day. Anywho, press that little button at the bottom of your screen and make my day better. Thank you bunches!**


	7. Ch 6 Found

**Omg Thank you to all my amazing reviewers out there for showing me some of your Babe love! It means a lot to me. **

**Okay, just letting people know that 1****st**** person is the way this story is gonna be written cause apparently writing in 3****rd**** person is beyond me**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything….but I really really wish I did **

**Chapter Six**

**Found**

**Ranger**

** Pain was all I could register. It was everywhere, coursing through my body at the speed of light and I could feel myself start to drift upward, like I was flying. The though brought a wave of sadness with it. Babe. She loved to fly; she was born to fly higher than the rules of the burg dictated. She was meant to do so much more than what she'd been given. It pained me to think about the reason she was in danger, knowing that it was because of who I am and what I do for a living. If I had kept my distance, she wouldn't be lost in the jungle alone and more than likely injured beyond repair. Part of me just wanted to keep floating above the world and leave her to be happy, but I knew she would never forgive me if I gave up on her and left without a fight. Forcing myself to focus on gaining consciousness, I felt myself begin to float back down into my body. **

** Suddenly it felt as though there was 80s rock band in my head and they were drunk off their asses. The pain only increased when it felt as if someone was taking a knife to my chest. Voices began to talk at a rapid speed, but they were indistinguishable in my current state, all they were good for was keeping me grounded by giving me something to focus on. **

"**Come on, he's losing too much blood." One voice said urgently. "Where's my suction?" He sounded almost pissed and as soon as the words left his mouth, there was a very odd sound coming from somewhere near my stomach and I realized that they were cleaning the wound of excess blood. **

'_**How bad is it?' **_** I wondered anxiously, and began feeling something I had not felt since Scrog had Steph and my daughter. Panic. It caused my heart to beat rapidly and I wanted out of this place. Pulling all the strength I had, I opened my eyes to look around the room, my hands moving slowly to take away the oxygen mask on my face. There were blurry faces around me and I tried to get my eyes to focus on them, but they refused with a fiery passion that reminded me of Babe. The face closest to me, leaned down and whispered in my ear, their voice rough, but urgent. **

"**Ranger, man, you need to let them work. You're losing too much blood." The voice told me and I felt myself begin to obey its command, my eyes drifting closed and the blackness taking over. **

**Lester**

** We'd found her. I couldn't believe it. She was in my arms and we were well on our way back to the base camp. She looked like hell, with bloody cuts and dark bruises all over her body, but she was still there. As Tank and I made our way towards the camp we kept a sharp eye out for anything that could threaten the precious package we were carrying. If we lost her again, Ranger would kill us for sure…or send us to a third world country. And at this point I'm not sure which would be better. I was more than willing to take a bullet in the head than spend time in Siberia. Shivering at the thought, I quickly made my way through the brush of the jungle, twenty feet from Tank. Adjusting the tiny woman in my arms, I grunted, not because Steph was heavy- far from it actually- but because I suddenly noticed the deep wound on my arm. Mentally cursing at myself for not seeing it earlier and sending a silent promise to whatever god was listening to get it looked at the moment we made it to the base camp in one piece. No sooner had the thought left my mind, did Tank gesture that the base was in sight. With a soft sigh of relief I picked up my pace, wanting to get there as soon as possible, oblivious to the things around me. Having trusted Tank for so long, I let him keep an eye out for any hostiles. I should have known better than to rely on one set of eyes, instead of two. **

** Within twenty feet of the gate to the base, the sound of gun fire reached both mine and Tank's ear, instantly putting us on alert. Without thought, I moved behind Tank and he provided cover fire as I tried to get into the gate. Gently, I set Steph against the wall, and pounded on the door. **

"**Open up! It's Santos!" I shouted through the gate, hoping the guards could hear me. A moment later, the small peep hole opened and I was starring into a set of blue eyes. **

"**Santos? I haven't heard of a Santos on this base." The owner of the blue eyes said, with what could only be described as a cold and calculating voice. The instant it reached my ears, I knew something was very wrong. **

"**Come on Man, just let us in. I have an injured woman out here with me. She needs medical attention." My voice was shaking with the fear that someone had sold us out and wasn't going to let us inside the safe haven of the base. **

**Before the man could answer, the world exploded up around us, and I heard Tank shout out in shock and pain. Using my body as a shield, I covered Steph and cursed under my breath. **_**Could we not get a break? I mean really? **_

**What felt like hours, but must have only been mere moments in time, passed and I began to hear the sounds of the insurgents surround us. **_**Come on, Santos, think! **_**Lying there, silent as the grave, and praying that none of us met our own, I listened to the enemy talk amongst themselves, speaking Spanish and English. Glancing down at the still very unconscious Steph beneath me, I realized that they were looking for her, but couldn't see her under my bulk. Thanking God for small favors, I let my lips curve upward into a small smile, waiting for the men to leave the rubble they had created. **

**Stephanie**

** The world slowly tried to focus itself within my fogged brain as I slowly regained consciousness. Hearing the faint voices surrounding me, I struggled under the wall I was trapped under. My fist found a fleshy area and I heard a low grunt from above me, just moments before hearing the voices get excited and move closer to me. Stilling, my spidey senses shouted at me to remain silent. Too late did I realize the voices around me were the same I had heard for the past few days. Opening my eyes, I looked up in time to see Lester being dragged away from me, a thick rope around his neck. **

"**No!" I shouted, sitting up rapidly enough to feel my ribcage burst into flames. The men surrounding us looked at me and grinned evilly, moving closer and attempting to restrain me. "Let go of me!" I screamed and kicked out at them viciously, not caring how much pain I was in. As I fought and clawed my way out of the men's' hands, I heard the sound of a gunshot and jumped, turning to look at the source. **

**Viper stood, just a few feet from a large black man who was now clutching his leg and glaring at him and the gun that was pointed at his head just out of his reach. I stilled and tried to keep from panicking. **

"**You will go with us, Miss Plum, or I will shoot Tank here without a second thought and sleep well tonight, knowing one of Ranger's dogs was put down." He told me, his voice was cold and calm and I knew he would make good on his threat. **

**Dropping my eyes, I held out my wrists and let the men tie a thick rope around them. Glancing around, I saw Lester being tied up as well, along with Tank. I knew they would be going back to the camp with us, but the idea didn't make me feel any better. **


End file.
